XN000022-1994-09-15 — Page 2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1994

STATEMENT BY BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY

FOLLOWING IS THE STATEMENT BY THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, THE RT HON DOUGLAS HURD, IN HONG KONG TODAY (THURSDAY):

GOVERNOR: I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, DOUGLAS HURD, TO HONG KONG AGAIN. HE'S ALWAYS AN EXTREMELY WELCOME VISITOR AND WE'RE ENORMOUSLY GRATEFUL FOR HIS UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS. IT'S AN IMPORTANT VISIT AND MR HURD IS GIVING A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW, BUT I THINK HE'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS NOW.

TO 40

MR DOUGLAS HURD, FOREIGN SECRETARY: GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S ALWAYS ME VERY EXCITING AND STIMULATING TO COME TO HONG KONG AGAIN. IT'S YEARS SINCE I WAS FIRST HERE AND I'VE NOTICED A CHANGE OR TWO ALONG THE WAY.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS VISIT IS VERY SIMPLE. IT'S ONE YEAR, MORE THAN ONE YEAR, FIFTEEN MONTHS, SINCE I WAS LAST HERE AND THAT WAS A VERY SHORT VISIT. SO MY AIM TODAY AND TOMORROW IS TO BRING MYSELF UP TO DATE. WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO TALK TO THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ADVISERS, TO EXCO, TO LECCO, TO THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT VERY MUCH. THERE'S A CROWDED AGENDA AND IT'S PART OF MY JOB, AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY JOB IN LONDON TO HELP THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DO ITS BEST TO STEER HONG KONG THROUGH THE NEXT FEW YEARS. WE CAN ONLY DO THAT IF WE HAVE VERY CLOSE

PERSONAL CONTACT AT ALL LEVELS AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY VISIT.

AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, I'M GIVING A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW BUT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS WHICH CAN'T WAIT, NOW'S THE TIME TO PUT THEM. ANY QUESTIONS?

QUESTION: THE LEGISLATORS ARE COMPLAINING THAT YOU'VE ONLY GIVEN THEM 45 MINUTES FOR A MEETING, YET SOME OF THEM ARE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHO DESERVE LONGER. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT CRITICISM?

MR DOUGLAS HURD, FOREIGN SECRETARY: I WOULD GET THE SAME CRITICISM IF I GAVE THEM ONE HOUR AND 45 MINUTES.

GOVERNOR: BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GIVING THEM AN HOUR NOW.

MR

DOUGLAS HURD, FOREIGN SECRETARY: I AM NOW GIVING THEM ONE HOUR, YES I'VE RESPONDED IN THAT WAY.

QUESTION: MR HURD, WHAT CAN YOU GIVE OVER TO MR QIAN IN PRACTICAL TERMS TO RESTORE THE SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS?

MR DOUGLAS HURD, FOREIGN SECRETARY: THE QUESTION IS WHAT CAN I OFFER TO MR QIAN QICHEN WHEN I SEE HIM IN NEW YORK THE WEEK AFTER NEXT? WELL, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF OFFERING HIM SOMETHING, IT'S A MATTER OF WHAT IS THE SHARED INTEREST OF BRITAIN AND HONG KONG AND CHINA AND AS I SEE IT THE SHARED INTEREST OF ALL THREE IS THAT HONG KONG SHOULD MOVE AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY IN THE MIDDLE OF 1997. NOW IF I FIND THAT THAT IS A SHARED INTEREST TO CHINA TOO, THEN THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF THINGS WHICH FOLLOW FROM THAT WHICH I WILL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER. I'VE ALWAYS HAD GOOD TALKS WITH HIM. I'VE NEVER HAD ANY DIFFICULTY IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM, THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP I THINK IS A GOOD ONE AND I HOPE WE CAN USE THAT FACT FOR GOOD AGAIN LATER THIS MONTH.

/QUESTION: